Article 31: Acupuncture Weight Loss and Auricular Acupressure Therapy: Acupoint Location and Application

Acupuncture for weight loss

Practice has shown that acupuncture has a good weight-loss effect on obesity, and also has a good regulatory effect on hyperapple, blood pressure, autonomic nervous system function, and energy metabolism. Many scholars believe that the weight-loss effect of acupuncture may be produced by adjusting the hunger information of the hypothalamus, inhibiting hunger, and reducing food intake. At the same time, acupuncture can also correct autonomic nervous system dysfunction, bringing the autonomic nervous system function close to or reaching the level of normal individuals. Recent studies have shown that acupuncture may enhance the function of the hypothalamus-thyroid axis, promote thyroid secretion, thereby increasing the activity of ATPase in patients, enhancing BMR (basal metabolic rate), leading to increased energy consumption and thus a weight-loss effect.

Acupuncture treatment for obesity should adhere to the principles and methods of syndrome differentiation and treatment.

(1) Liver Yang Rising: Irritability, dizziness, headache, red tongue, and wiry pulse. Treatment should focus on calming the liver and suppressing Yang. Acupoints: Xiaxi, Xingjian, Quchi, etc.

(2) Spleen deficiency with dampness accumulation manifests as abdominal distension and fullness, heaviness in the limbs, scanty dark urine, greasy tongue coating, and a weak pulse. Treatment should focus on resolving dampness and harmonizing the middle jiao. Acupoints: Zhongwan (CV12), Shuidao (ST28), Pishu (BL20), etc.

(3) Heat in the stomach causes excessive hunger, thirst, and a slightly yellow tongue coating, and the pulse is often slippery and rapid. Acupoints: Neiting, Quchi, Shangjuxu, etc.

(4) Dry intestines and constipation, abdominal distension, yellow and greasy tongue coating, and wiry and tight pulse. Treatment should focus on moistening the intestines and relieving constipation. Acupoints: Quchi (LI11), Tianshu (ST25), Zhigou (TE6), etc.

(5) Symptoms of lung and spleen qi deficiency include abdominal distension, dizziness, fatigue, scanty urine, edema of the limbs, pale tongue, and weak pulse. Treatment should focus on tonifying the spleen, nourishing the lungs, and replenishing qi. Acupoints: Feishu (BL13), Pishu (BL20), Taibai (SP3) (moxibustion), etc.

(6) Spleen and kidney yang deficiency, lower back pain and weak legs, impotence, cold yin, fatigue and limb swelling, pale tongue and thready pulse. Treatment should focus on warming and tonifying the spleen and kidneys. Acupoints: Spleen Shu, Kidney Shu, Taibai (moxibustion), etc. For those with increased appetite, add Neiting; for those with palpitations and shortness of breath, add Shenmen and Neiguan; for those with constipation, add Tianshu and Zhigou; for those with scanty urine, add Shuifen and Yinlingquan; for those who have been obese since childhood, add Kidney Shu and Sanyinjiao.

(Reference diagram of acupoints on the upper limbs omitted)

(Reference diagram of foot acupoints omitted)

(Reference diagram of abdominal acupoints omitted)

(Reference diagram of lower limb acupoints omitted)

Acupuncture point reference table for weight loss

Acupoints

One inch above the navel

The dorsum of the foot between the first and second toes

3 cun below Zusanli (ST36) and Dubi (ST35), one finger-width lateral to the anterior crest of the tibia.

3 cun below Shangjuxu and Zusanli acupoints

With the elbow flexed at a right angle, the point is the midpoint of the line connecting the outer end of the elbow crease and the lateral epicondyle of the humerus.

Shuidao is located 3 inches below the navel and 2 inches lateral to the anterior midline.

Shenmen is located at the ulnar end of the wrist crease, in the depression on the radial side of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon.

The Shenshu point is located 1.5 cun lateral to the spinous process of the second lumbar vertebra.

Feishu (BL13) is located 1.5 cun lateral to the spinous process of the third thoracic vertebra.

In the depression between the highest point of the medial malleolus and the Achilles tendon at Taixi

The inner court is located at the end of the crease between the second and third toes on the dorsum of the foot.

Zhigou is located 3 cun above the transverse crease of the wrist on the back, between the radius and ulna.

The middle of the navel at Shenque

Taibai, posterior margin of the head of the first metatarsal bone, at the junction of red and white flesh

Yinlingquan is located in the depression below the medial condyle of the tibia.

In the depression below and in front of the medial malleolus in Shangqiu

Two inches to the side of the navel at Tian Shu.

Qiuxu is located in the depression below and in front of the lateral malleolus, lateral to the extensor digitorum longus tendon.

Xiaxi, the crease between the 4th and 5th toes on the dorsum of the foot

Spleen Shu point is located 1.5 cun lateral to the spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra.

Three cun above the highest point of the medial malleolus at Sanyinjiao, on the posterior border of the medial aspect of the tibia.

4 inches above the umbilicus at the mid-wrist

Neiguan point is located 2 cun above the wrist crease, between the palmaris longus tendon and the flexor carpi radialis tendon.

Ear acupuncture weight loss

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the ear is closely related to the internal organs and meridians of the whole body. The *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot), in its chapter "Questions on the Mouth," states, "The ear is where all the meridians converge." The *Ling Shu*, in its chapter "Evil Qi of the Internal Organs," also states, "The twelve meridians and three hundred and sixty-five collaterals, their blood and qi all ascend to the face and flow through the orifices." This shows that diseases of the internal organs will be reflected in the auricle. Stimulating certain acupoints on the auricle can regulate the body's physiological functions and treat diseases of the internal organs. Obesity and hyperlipidemia are caused by dysfunction of the spleen and kidneys. Auricular acupuncture can regulate spleen and kidney function, achieving weight loss. Modern medicine also believes that the auricle is rich in nerves and blood vessels; stimulating the vagus nerve can regulate the endocrine system and the function of internal organs, affecting insulin secretion and suppressing appetite, thus achieving weight loss.

There are currently three methods for treating obesity using auricular acupuncture: acupuncture, needle embedding, and acupressure.

1. Ear acupuncture and embedding acupuncture require accurate acupoint selection; strict local disinfection is necessary to prevent infection.

Treatment method: Select acupoints such as Stomach, Large Intestine, Lung, Triple Energizer, Endocrine, Subcortex, Hunger Point, and Thirst Point. Choose 2 acupoints each time and apply moderate stimulation. During the procedure, first disinfect the skin of the ear acupoints with 75% alcohol, then use sterile tweezers to insert the press needles into the ear acupoints, and then cover and fix them with small square adhesive tape. Leave the needles in place for 5 days, changing the needles once. 5 treatments constitute one course of treatment.

2. Ear acupressure therapy is simple and easy to perform. If the acupoints are selected correctly and the pressure is applied properly, it will be effective; otherwise, it will be ineffective.

Its mechanism of action is to stimulate a specific acupoint on the ear with moderate pressure to achieve a therapeutic effect. Commonly used drugs include Wang Bu Liu Xing seeds, white mustard seeds, radish seeds, rapeseed, and Impatiens balsamina. Commonly selected acupoints include the mouth, esophagus, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, hunger point, thirst point, spleen, lung, adrenal gland, endocrine, sympathetic, subcortex, constipation point, and triple burner.

Treatment method: Select the above-mentioned acupoints on the ear, press the seeds of Vaccaria segetalis, and fix them with small square adhesive tape. Change the tape every 3 days, alternating between both ears for 10 times as one course of treatment. Generally, 2-4 courses of treatment are needed. Patients are required to press the acupoints for 2 minutes 30 minutes before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, until a feeling of heat, distension, and pain is felt in the ear. Close cooperation from the patient is necessary to improve the efficacy. Because this method is simple, easy to perform, non-invasive, inexpensive, and has significant effects, it is very popular among patients.

Two years ago, I invited Dr. Sun Lin, Director of the Acupuncture Department of our hospital, and Dr. Wang Yu to treat 24 patients with simple obesity in the outpatient clinic. There were 5 males and 19 females, with ages ranging from 15 to 56 years old. Weights ranged from 56 to 104 kg. Following the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, the patients were divided into four groups: those with heat accumulation in the stomach and intestines, those with dampness obstructing the spleen and stomach, those with spleen deficiency and dampness obstruction, and those with both qi and yin deficiency. The acupuncture points were as follows: Main points: Zusanli (ST36); Neiting (ST44). Additional points: Quchi (LI11) for heat accumulation in the stomach and intestines, Yinlingquan (SP9) for dampness obstructing the spleen and stomach, Shangqiu (SP5) for spleen deficiency and dampness obstruction, and Taixi (KI3) for qi and yin deficiency. Ear acupuncture points included spleen, stomach, large intestine, endocrine, and lung points. Acupuncture method: Body acupuncture was performed every other day, with needles retained for 20 minutes, and manipulation every 10 minutes to enhance stimulation. One course of treatment consisted of 12 sessions. First, the ear acupuncture needles were routinely disinfected, then Wang Bu Liu Xing seeds were embedded and fixed with adhesive tape. Patients were instructed to massage the needles several times daily until pain was felt, and the needles were changed every other day. The needles were inserted into both ears alternately. Body acupuncture and ear acupuncture were performed simultaneously. Treatment results: In this group of 24 cases, 3 cases showed significant improvement (12.5%), 15 cases showed improvement (62.5%), and 6 cases showed no improvement (25%). The overall effective rate was 75%. The patient with the largest weight loss reached 11 kg, with an average weight loss of 3 kg.

(Auricular acupoint distribution diagram omitted)

Related auricular acupoint location instructions (omitted)